


Drabbles and storms

by DaughterOfOphelia



Series: Théâtre Illuminata things [2]
Category: Théâtre Illuminata Series - Lisa Mantchev
Genre: Gen, Shorts are shorts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2018-11-18 16:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11294724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaughterOfOphelia/pseuds/DaughterOfOphelia
Summary: Drabbles that don't really connect.





	1. Thunderstorms

**Author's Note:**

> I hope to eventually finish these, but for now this is all my brain will let me do.  
> Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own anything from The Theatre Illuminata, it's all the creation of Lisa Mantchev.   
> This is unbetaed, so all mistakes are mine.

The clouds roiled, and the sky turned a deep gray, the crack of thunder following the bright and sudden flare of a lightning strike.

  
The winds howled, blowing through the trees and creating an insistent moan and the old school bell chimed out its low note over and again as the rain beat down upon it.

  
Bertie gazed out of the window of the basement at her battered herb garden and sighed. She was lucky she'd also started some in the garage this year. The last six years had taught her to be prepared for anything, even if it was as simple as a storm flattening her garden.

  
The women at the Caravanserai had taught her the skills she hadn't learned while living in the Theatre, while most of the men stayed away. They'd been appalled -and rightfully so- that she didn't have many skills other than stamina, determination, imagination and what skills she'd learned shadowing the department heads.


	2. Movies or Marriage?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At this point in Ariel's life, Disney movies are preferable to a false marriage - even to the woman he loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration struck when I was looking at a prompt list, and this drabble just happened...
> 
> Anyway I do not own the characters, they belong to Lisa Mantchev, the author of The Theatre Illuminata Series, I just play with them. I have not, and do not plan to make money off of this. I do not own Disney movies (at least the rights to them, anyway... I have several on VHS) and make no money from mentioning the name Disney.

“I’ve got one word for you: sing-along!” 

Ariel just looked at Bertie with a sense of bemused horror. “At the mature mortal age of twenty-six, you wish to engage in a Disney movie sing-along. And here I thought you had put me through enough trials.”

Bertie rolled her eyes, noting the sarcasm that he’d injected into his tone. “Well,” She bantered with a playful smile, “we could always go get married again. That is, if you’d rather I put you through “trials” than watch Disney movies with me…”

He glared at her, his winds shifting tendrils of hair and his butterflies’ wings changing from a pearly white to a dark blue. “It is common knowledge that I would endure anything for you, no matter if it killed me. However, if you are suggesting that we go through the Sea Witch’s farce of a marriage again…”  
She laughed, small dimples flashing at the corners of her mouth. She was glad they’d finally gotten to a point that they could joke about it, as much as it still pained them.  
His glare softened into a slightly dopey look until he realized his emotions were showing and he reined them in, returning to his usual nonchalant manner.  
He turned away from her, and pretended to inspect the pictures she’d insisted they place on the wall above the couch. “I will watch them with you.” He said, with a put upon sigh.

Bertie smiled, and went to go put the first one in the VCR.

 

 

* * *

If you liked this, you can find me on tumblr as [daughter-of-ophelia](https://daughter-of-ophelia.tumblr.com) . I mostly just reblog things, but occasionally my writing ends up there as well. By the way, the first one they watch is totally Beauty & The Beast!  
  


 


	3. Untitled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a mystical stone circle near the Caravanserai, and our friends are attempting some sort of ritual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Nate, Ariel or Bertie, I also don't own the Caravanserai. I'm making no money off of this.  
> This is unbetaed, as always.

_One of the few nights this would work._ Bertie thought as she closed her eyes and listened as Ariel detailed the plan.

 

The charred remnants of the fire had darkened the grass beneath them, and the standing circle of stones still glowed very faintly.

 

It wasn't all that far from the Caravanserai, but it was secluded enough that it suited their purpose.

 

Bertie figured that they were using the circle for what it was intended, sure that the trees and the shadowy figures meant them no harm.

 

The pathway to the center had grown dark as soon as it had been stepped upon, whispers in the wind and the rustling of the three oaks at the edge filling the otherwise silent space as they walked forward.

 

The only light was the fairies’ bioluminescent glow as they settled in the middle and stood on the center stone.

 

Nate stepped forward, smiling at Bertie as he released her hand. “Ah, don’t be like that lass! Ye’ll still have me! An’ ye'll have him as well!”

 

Eyes closed, with his head bowed over the small bird in his hands, strands of bronze and caramel hair loosened from his braid and falling in his face.

 

Nate looked up with a crooked smile, hazel eyes shining in the half-light of the moon as the bird’s wings slowly fluttered.

“C’mon matey, yer okay. I can promise ye that.”

 

Outside the circle the winds slowly picked up as Ariel prepared the next part of the spell.Though he may not have a body any more, he still blew through from time to time, checking on Bertie and, only slightly begrudgingly, Nate.

 

His one-in-a-thousand wind had made him happy, and that Bertie had released him, and set him free from all bonds still resonated with him on an atomic level.

 

Bertie held the leather bound notebook in the air with one hand, the wet ink still glistening in the moonlight. The wind tangled her green, blue and silver curls into a knotted mess that she pushed behind her ears with the other hand, wishing she'd remembered to bring hair ties of some sort.

 

Nate placed the baby bird in the makeshift nest after checking again to make sure it was alive, and stood up, dusting off his knees. The bird would be fine, he reassured himself.

 

He'd picked it up this morning with a broken wing and far from the crag in the rock where the nest had once been.

 

Bertie hesitated before walking forward and placing her hand on his elbow, absentmindedly smoothing the frayed edges of a hole in his jacket.

 

He pulled a small assortment of hair ties from an inside jacket pocket, and offered them to her with an open hand. They all had long hair, so he figured it was generally a good idea to keep spares with him.

 

Bertie grabbed a green one --one of his favorites, actually-- and quickly pulled her hair into a messy bun that threatened to come undone at the slightest hint of anything other than a breeze.

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” She quirked her eyebrow pointedly. “It is reversible, but not right away.”

 

He looked down at her, rolling his eyes with a smile. “O’ course. Jus’ cause I’m not fond o’ the man, doesn't mean I won't help him.”


	4. Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party and some flirting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Bertie, Ariel or Nate. I also don't own Bobby - he's from Halloweentown.
> 
> A very vague Halloweentown crossover! This actually started as a fic for another thing but turned into a Theatre Illuminata thing... :p

Bertie drank in the atmosphere, standing by the chocolate waterfall in the corner of the room in the grand old house, hiding behind a group of vampires and deftly trying to avoid the shimmering silver mist that currently hung in the doorway to the stairwell. 

 

The center of the spacious ballroom had been turned into a silver and black dance floor, lit up by magic donated by the guests. 

 

The live orchestra played heartily 

 

Swirling skirts and stomping shoes followed the music and provided a rhythm to dance to, bringing back memories of a fateful tango. 

 

Bertie felt her cheeks grow warm at the memory, her heart beating just a little faster. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, silver and blue curls bouncing and tangling together. She huffed in frustration, and pulled a green hair band from her wrist, tying her hair into an unruly bun, a few curls escaping at her temples.

 

It was permanently Fall here, something she wasn't sure she would ever be used to, but she liked it all the same. Ariel had convinced her to check it out, and she'd dragged Nate along with them. 

 

It was similar, in some ways, to the Theatre. Words ran things, and magic ran rampant. Rules made to be obeyed, and rules malleable enough to be played with…

 

The smell of coffee, cloves and cinnamon made it smell almost like home, although it lacked the acrid smell of vats of hair dye,  cigar smoke, and a thousand years worth of dust.

 

Ariel slunk up behind her as silently as a cat, tugging on one of her escaped curls. “And how are you doing, my darling? Nate seems to be having fun,” 

he said, nodding towards where their pirate seemed to be having an intense conversation with a goblin -- Bobby, Bertie’s mind supplied -- and a ghost, whose name Bertie didn't know.

 

She smiled, worrying her bottom lip between her front teeth. “He does look like he's having a good time,” she allowed, as she turned slightly to get a better look at Ariel. 

 

“You changed your clothes again!” She accused, squinting a little as she poked his arm. 

 

Gone was the loose-fitting white tunic and tight black jeans, replaced with the tuxedo he'd worn for that tango. 

He smirked, “So I did. It appears you have as well,” he nodded.

 

Bertie glanced down and groaned quietly when she saw her paint-splattered jeans had become a dark green dress that, while covering her completely, left little to the imagination. “Let me guess, your doing?”

 

His eyes spoke of the mischief to come. “Of course not, I wouldn't do that to you…” 

His voice dropped to a seductive purr as he bent closer to her ear, and he continued, “unless you wanted me to.”

 

She shuddered and then hissed at him, smacking him lightly on the arm before curling her fingers around the one lock of hair that had escaped his braid, “So not the time!”

 

Ariel straightened, a smirk of a smile planted firmly on his face as he chuckled, “perhaps not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this, you're more than welcome to come find me on tumblr or on pillowfort (which I'm currently setting up). I'm daughter-of-ophelia on tumblr, and DaughterOphelia on pillowfort.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I hope you liked it! If you want to talk about writing or whatever else, you can find me as daughter-of-ophelia on tumblr! (I have GOT to learn how to do the darn link thing...)


End file.
